


How the Mighty Fall

by blushingflower



Category: Greek Mythology
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 23:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blushingflower/pseuds/blushingflower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I <strike>have</strike> had a WIP for a Yuletide New Year's Resolution starring Artemis and Aphrodite. Problem is, the characters keep talking to me in other ways. This started out with a line in the original story that didn't belong but kept me thinking.</p>
    </blockquote>





	How the Mighty Fall

**Author's Note:**

> I ~~have~~ had a WIP for a Yuletide New Year's Resolution starring Artemis and Aphrodite. Problem is, the characters keep talking to me in other ways. This started out with a line in the original story that didn't belong but kept me thinking.

If you ask the denizens of Olympus who is the most powerful of them all, this is what will happen:

Poseidon will tell you of great ships and mighty cities dashed to bits by his awesome waves.

Zeus will tell you of fearsome storms, of thunder and lightning and people being struck dead where they stand under a cloudless blue sky.

Ares will tell you of his favorite wars, of body counts and ruthless blades and blood-soaked soil.

Hades will point out that all mortals die, and his kingdom is vaster than any other.

Apollo will remind you of the power of the sun, the source of all earth's energy. If you are not convinced, he will remind you that he is the god of prophecy, and who but the most powerful could see the future?

Artemis will look at you consideringly before she pulls an arrow from her quiver, and you will apologize for having disturbed her bath.

Athena will ask you Socratic questions about what exactly being the most powerful means, and you will find yourself either nodding in agreement or bored to tears. Or possibly both.

Hermes will vanish for an instant, and then return with one of Zeus' thunderbolts and one of Eros' arrows, a mischievous grin on his face. This will be the only answer he gives you.

Hera will glare at you as though the answer is self-evident, and remind you that she is the Queen. (But if she is a little drunk, she will say that the fact that she can strike fear into Zeus' heart is proof of her power)

Aphrodite will tell you stories of wars fought, prayers prayed, deaths died, paintings painted and songs sung for the cause of desire. She will tell you of Europa and Leda and Ganymede and Daphne and Cassandra and all of Troy, all the times the mighty have been brought low by lust.   
She will say all of this in the sweetest voice you have ever heard, and you will know that she is the only one telling the truth.


End file.
